March 30, 2010

Man arrested for Cantor death threat

The media “outrage” will be decidedly lacking on this one. In fact, there’s nothing at all to see here. Move along.

Federal authorities have arrested a Philadelphia man and charged him with threatening to kill House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and his family.

Norman Leboon will be charged with two federal counts: threatening to kill Cantor and interfere with his federal duties, and posting video online containing such threats. He is scheduled to appear in federal district court in Philadelphia on Monday afternoon.

The arrest is the most serious in a string of threats of violence against lawmakers in wake of the divisive health care vote. At least 10 Democrats along with a handful of Republicans, including Cantor, reported threats of violence during the past week.

In a video posted on YouTube, Leboon said Cantor was a “liar, you’re a Lucifer, you’re a pig, a greedy [expletive] pig.” He also seemed to refer to a bullet found in Cantor’s office last week and said it will be placed in his head. Richmond Police had originally discounted the bullet as a stray. It is unclear whether the FBI will expand the investigation into the Richmond bullet.

According to an FBI affidavit, the investigation moved swiftly. On March 26, the FBI’s San Francisco office got a copy of a YouTube video in which Leboon allegedly made threats to kill Cantor and his “cupcake evil wife.” The video makes reference to Cantor’s Judaism and also seemed to speak about bullet that was fired into his Richmond office.

“Remember Eric at our judgment time, the final Yom Kippur has been given,” according to a transcript of the video in the affidavit. “You are a liar, you’re a Lucifer, you’re a pig, a greedy (expletive) pig, you’re an abomination, you receive my bullets in your office, remember they will be placed in your heads. You and your children are Lucifer’s abomination.”

It’s a tit for tat we have to play, gentle readers. No choice. Just last week Cantor was being called a liar and accused of manufacturing these threats. I think we’ve clearly established that both sides have their loons. But only one side is trying to exploit them for political gain. And still no evidence that Congressman Lewis was called a “nigger” and spat upon.